HONOLULU — The Kahala Hotel & Resort and Dolphin Quest Oahu today held a blessing ceremony to release a pair of five-year-old Hawaiian green sea turtles into the ocean. During a traditional blessing by Kahu Laakea Arista. Kamalani and Kaimana crawled past a crowd as they made their way to their new home. These particular turtles have called Dolphin Quest home since 2016. This is the seventh pair of turtles successfully released by Dolphin Quest Oahu since 1999 as part of the Ocean Ambassador program, an initiative to protect the native turtle species.

The Kahala Hotel & Resort hosts baby Hawaiian green sea turtles on property, where they are cared for by Dolphin Quest and serve as ocean ambassadors to visitors and school children. The Ocean Ambassador program seeks to educate the public about the plight green sea turtles face in the wild and provides a protected environment for the young turtles until they are deemed appropriate for release into the wild. The program also gives visitors the rare opportunity to view this threatened species and learn about conservation efforts.

The growing population of Hawaii Green Sea Turtles remains protected by state and federal law as a threatened species. The Ocean Ambassador partnership between The Kahala Hotel & Resort, Dolphin Quest, Sea Life Park, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) has played an important role in the conservation of these animals in Hawaii.

“Dolphin Quest’s Turtle Ambassador Program at The Kahala Hotel & Resort is helping to raise awareness of the threats green sea turtles face in the wild, inspiring new generations to help protect them, and directly contributing to green sea turtle conservation,” says Michelle Benedict, Aquarist at Dolphin Quest Oahu.

“We were so happy to host Kamalani and Kaimana over the years. As The Kahala Hotel & Resort celebrates our 55th anniversary, we are thrilled to be a part of their return to the wild,” says Joe Ibarra, General Manager of The Kahala Hotel and Resort.

The public can enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at the care Kamalani and Kaimana received at Dolphin Quest Oahu in the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEZOEVlQVaE